CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of United States Patent Application No. 62/301 ,812, filed on March 1 , 2016, and entitled MILLWORK LEVELER, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for leveling millwork and other objects.

2. Relevant Art

There are many issues that must be considered when constructing a building, but perhaps foremost among those issues is ensuring that a building is level. Many factors affect how level a building is, generally, and how level a floor is, specifically, within that building. For example, the building's foundation may set unevenly and cause a slight sloping or warping of the floor and any floors built thereupon. As further examples, the framing material used in creating the building's infrastructure may not be cut or measured to exactly the same lengths, the flooring material may be of unequal thickness or the flooring material may, itself, be warped— all of which may potentially cause, unevenness throughout the structure.

Any unevenness within the general structure of a building will perpetuate to any structures attached thereto, including, for example, millwork. Millwork includes many ready- made carpentry elements installed within a building such as, for example, cabinets, doors, and window casings. If a floor is uneven, it will affect any millwork attached to it. For example, some cabinets rest on the floor, and an uneven floor translates to an uneven cabinet if the cabinet is simply attached thereto without any adjustments. This may cause myriad issues and annoyances, including, for example, a cabinet door or drawer that will not remain closed, an aesthetically unappealing cabinetry facade where one or more cabinet faces are angled or skewed from level, and/or an uneven work surface (e.g., a countertop) attached to the top of the cabinets.

Some adjustable posts are known in the art that allow for leveling, for example, cabinets. In particular, adjustable posts are singly applied to the underside four corners of each cabinet such that each cabinet has four adjustable posts supporting it. This provides the advantage of being able to individually adjust the height of each corner of the cabinet to ensure a level installation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to manage and adjust the individual posts associated with each cabinet, and furthermore, it can be cumbersome to connect a toe kick to the cabinet while simultaneously avoiding interference with the labyrinth of adjustable posts. Accordingly, there remains room for improvement in the area of leveling millwork.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Implementations of the present disclosure provide systems, components, and methods for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, a millwork leveling device comprises a track and a leveling post that is movably positionable along the track. The height of the leveling post is selectively adjustable. The device may further include a plate that is associates with the leveling post. The plate can include one or more through holes configured to attach to a finishing piece.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, the leveling device can include a second leveling post that is movably positionable along the track. The second leveling post may have an adjustable height.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, the plate that is associated with the leveling post can freely rotate about the leveling post. The plate may, additionally or alternatively, to attach to the finishing piece utilizing the one or more through holes.

Implementations of the present disclosure further provide methods for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, the method may include the step of positioning a leveling device on a first surface. The leveling device may include a track, a first adjustable height leveling post and second adjustable height leveling post movably positionable along the track, and a plate associated with the first leveling post. The place may have one or more through holes to facilitate attachment to a finishing piece. The method may include the step of associating a millwork with the leveling device, where the millwork has at least a horizontal axis. The method may also include leveling the millwork with respect to the first surface by adjusting at least the height of the first leveling post.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, leveling the millwork may comprise adjusting at least one of the first adjustable height leveling post and the second adjustable height leveling post until the horizontal axis of the millwork is perpendicular to a line representing the force of gravity.

Implementations of the present disclosure may also include a kit for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, the kit may include a track and two leveling posts (a first leveling post and a second leveling post) that are movably positionable along the track. In some implementations, the first leveling post has a first adjustable height and the second leveling post has a second adjustable height. The kit may further include a plate associated with the first leveling post. The plate may have one or more through holes configured to facilitate attachment to a finishing piece.

Additional features and advantages of exemplary implementations of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations. The features and advantages of such implementations may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the present disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 A illustrates a perspective view of a millwork leveling device according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure I B illustrates a side view of the millwork leveling device of Figure 1 A;

Figure 1C illustrates an end-on view of the millwork leveling device of Figures 1 A and I B;

Figure 2 illustrates a height adjustable leveling post of the millwork leveling device of Figures 1 A-1C;

Figure 3A illustrates a front view of millwork leveling devices associated with a cabinet according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure 3B illustrates a front view of a plurality of millwork leveling devices associated with cabinets according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure 3C illustrates a side view of a millwork leveling device associated with a cabinet according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure 4A illustrates a front view of millwork leveling devices associated with cabinets according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure; Figure 4B illustrates a front view of millwork leveling devices associated with cabinets according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure 4C illustrates a side view of millwork leveling devices associated with a cabinet according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

Figure 5 illustrates a front view of millwork leveling devices associated with the top surface of a cabinet according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 illustrates a method for leveling millwork according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure extends to systems, components, and methods for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, a millwork leveling device comprises a track and a leveling post that is movably positionable along the track. The height of the leveling post is selectively adjustable. The device may further include a plate that is associates with the leveling post. The plate can include one or more through holes configured to attach to a finishing piece.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, the leveling device can include a second leveling post that is movably positionable along the track. The second leveling post may have an adjustable height.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, the plate that is associated with the leveling post can freely rotate about the leveling post. The plate may, additionally or alternatively, to attach to the finishing piece utilizing the one or more through holes.

Implementations of the present disclosure further provide methods for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, the method may include the step of positioning a leveling device on a first surface. The leveling device may include a track, a first adjustable height leveling post and second adjustable height leveling post movably positionable along the track, and a plate associated with the first leveling post. The place may have one or more through holes to facilitate attachment to a finishing piece. The method may include the step of associating a millwork with the leveling device, where the millwork has at least a horizontal axis. The method may also include leveling the millwork with respect to the first surface by adjusting at least the height of the first leveling post.

In one or more additional or alternative implementations, leveling the millwork may comprise adjusting at least one of the first adjustable height leveling post and the second adjustable height leveling post until the horizontal axis of the millwork is perpendicular to a line representing the force of gravity. Implementations of the present disclosure may also include a kit for leveling millwork. In one or more implementations, the kit may include a track and two leveling posts (a first leveling post and a second leveling post) that are movably positionable along the track. In some implementations, the first leveling post has a first adjustable height and the second leveling post has a second adjustable height. The kit may further include a plate associated with the first leveling post. The plate may have one or more through holes configured to facilitate attachment to a finishing piece

Throughout this specification, reference is made to millwork. A millwork can comprise any individual ready-made carpentry element that an owner or installer can install within a building. For example, a cabinet, a door, and a window casing are each, individually, millworks. The disclosure, however, is not limited to the foregoing examples, but also extends to any ready-made carpentry element that an owner or installer can install within a building. For the purposes of this disclosure, a millwork may also include non-carpentry elements that serve the same or similar function as their wood or wood-based counterparts. For example, a cabinet, door, or window casing made of metal, stone, plastic, thermoplastic, or other non-wood-based material is intended to be included within the understanding of the term millwork as used herein.

With reference now to the figures, Figures 1 A- 1C illustrates various views of a millwork leveling device 100. Figure 1A, for example, illustrates a perspective view of the millwork leveling device 100. As depicted, the millwork leveling device 100 includes a track 102, two leveling posts 104, and a plate 106 associated with each leveling post 104. In some embodiments, the number and placement of the leveling posts may vary. For example, a track may have a single leveling post or a plurality of leveling posts (e.g., three, four, five, six, or more leveling posts on a single track).

In one or more embodiments, each leveling post 104 may be associated with a plate

106. For example, a manufacturer may weld or otherwise fixedly attach the plate 106 to the post 104. The plate 106 may, in one or more embodiment, be stationary and/or immovable with respect to the post 104. In another embodiment, a manufacturer may fixedly attach the plate 106 to the post 104 in a way that still allows the plate 106 and/or the post 104 to be movable relative to one another. For example, the plate 106 may rotate about the post 104 and/or the post 104 may rotate relative to the plate 106. As another example, the plate 106 may be removably associated with the post 104. In one or more embodiments, this may include snapping to the plate 106 or magnetically attaching to the plate 106 to the post 104. In one or more embodiments, one or more of the leveling posts 104 associated with the track 102 may not have an associated plate 106. For example, a track 102 may have three leveling posts 104 where one of the leveling posts 104 is disposed of between the other two leveling posts 104, and the leveling post 104 between the other two leveling posts 104 may not have an associated plate 106, whereas both of the flanking leveling posts 104 do have an associated plate 106. Alternatively or additionally, only one of the three leveling posts 104 may have an associated plate 106. In one embodiment, the track 102 depicted in Figure 1 may comprise two leveling posts 104 wherein only one of the leveling posts 104 is associated with a plate 106.

Figure IB illustrates the millwork leveling device 100 from a side view. As depicted, the millwork leveling device includes the two leveling posts 104 at opposing ends of track 102. In some embodiments, and as more clearly illustrated in Figure 1C, a manufacturer or installer can position leveling posts 104 within the track 102 such that the leveling posts 104 are movable along the track 102 by, for example, sliding the leveling posts 104 within and/or on the track 102. In one embodiment, track 102 includes grooves 103 and the leveling posts 104 include a base 105. The grooves 103 may guide the bases 105 along the track 102 and/or confine, the bases 105 to substantially the same region as the track 102.

In some embodiments, the track may include one or more pre-defined positions along the track. The one or more pre-defined positions may accept a leveling post. For example, a track according to the foregoing embodiment, may include leveling post docking points at measured, pre-defined, and/or user-defined intervals along the track that may, for example, snappingly receive a leveling post.

In one or more embodiments, the leveling posts 104 may be, as depicted in the various illustrated views of Figure 1 , substantially similar. However, in some embodiments the leveling posts may be dissimilar.

Referring now to Figure 2, depicted is a leveling post 104 associated with plate 106 and track 102. Leveling post 104 is further associated with threaded rod 1 10. As depicted, the threaded rod 1 10 extends partially within the leveling post 104. At least a portion of an interior surface of the leveling post 104 includes threads to threadingly engage the threaded rod 1 10. The threaded rod 1 10 is also, as depicted in Figure 2, associated with a height adjustment device 1 12. As shown, the height adjustment device 1 12 and threaded rod 1 10 may be similar (e.g., in function) to a nut (i.e., a fastener with a threaded hole) and bolt where the nut is threaded about the bolt. In this configuration, a user or installer can adjust the height of the leveling post 104 up or down by rotating the height adjustment device 1 12 along threaded rod 1 10. The leveling device 104 rests upon or is otherwise configured to move together with (or as a consequence of) adjusting the height adjustment device 1 12. In some embodiments, the threaded rod 1 10 and the height adjustment device 1 12 may be considered as parts or additional components of the leveling post 104.

In one embodiment, the threaded rod may include (e.g., in its structure) the height adjustment device and/or the functional equivalent thereof. Additionally or alternatively, a manufacturer may form the threaded rod without threads, but still in a manner that enables a user or installer to adjust the height of the height adjustment device along the same or similar axis.

Referring now to Figures 3A-3C, depicted are one or more mill work leveling devices associated with one or more cabinets according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure. Though the Figures depict cabinets, other millworks may be interchangeable without departing from the scope or intent of the disclosure. Figure 3A, in particular, illustrates a single cabinet 130 positioned atop and/or associated with two millwork leveling devices 100, each millwork leveling device 100 positioned by a corner and/or substantially near an edge of the cabinet 130 in a manner to support the cabinet 130.

Figure 3B illustrates a plurality of cabinets 1 4a, 134b, 134c supported by and/or associated with a plurality of millwork leveling devices 100. As depicted, an installer has positioned the millwork leveling devices 100 at and/or near the outermost edges of cabinets 134a and 134c, and other millwork leveling devices 100 at and/or near the joining region of cabinets 134a and 134b and cabinets 134b and 134c. As depicted, an installer has positioned the millwork leveling devices 100 at equal or approximately equal distances from one another. In one embodiment, an installer can position the millwork leveling devices at irregular intervals and/or user-specified positions. In one embodiment, the maximum distance between two adjacent millwork leveling devices is 30 inches. In other embodiments, the distance between two adjacent millwork leveling devices may be any of, a combination of, or any distance between the following: less than one inch, one inch, two inches, six inches, 12 inches, 1 8 inches, 24 inches, 36 inches, 42 inches, 48 inches, 54 inches, 60 inches, 66 inches, 72 inches, 78 inches, 84 inches, 90 inches, 96 inches, 102 inches and/or more than 102 inches.

Figure 3C depicts a side view of the cabinet 130 from Figure 3 A. As depicted, millwork leveling device 100 comprises two leveling posts 104. One leveling post 104 is positioned at or near the rear of the cabinet 130, and ^' the other leveling post 104 is positioned near the front end of cabinet 130 but recessed with respect to the front end of the cabinet 130. As depicted, the plate 106 of the forward most leveling post 104 (the leveling post near the front end of the cabinet) is facing outward. The plate 106 may, in some embodiments, facilitate attachment of a finishing piece 137, such as, for example, a toe kick. In one embodiment, the finishing piece 137 is molding. In another embodiment, the finishing piece may be a drawer, retractable step, access panel, vent, or similar.

In one embodiment, an installer can attach the finishing piece 137 to the millwork leveling device 100 by associating and/or attaching the finishing piece 137 to the plate 106 via one or more through holes 108 (See Figure 1C). For example, an installer may nail, bolt, screw, glue, or otherwise adhere the finishing piece 137 to the plate 106. In one embodiment, an installer may attach the finishing piece 137 to the plate 106 without utilizing one or more through holes 108.

In one embodiment, the cabinet 130 is a floor level cabinet (e.g., kitchen cabinet) and the surface 136 is a counter top, desk top, or other functional surface. The positioning of the millwork leveling device 100 and the attachment of a finish piece 137 {e.g., a toe kick) provides the expected aesthetics and functionality of a recessed toe kick.

Figures 4A-4C depict other embodiments of millwork leveling device positioning with respect to a millwork (e.g., a cabinet). For example, 4A depicts a pair of millwork leveling devices 100, each having two individual leveling posts 104 positioned beneath cabinets 134. As opposed to embodiments depicted by Figures 3A-3C, where the tracks 102 of the millwork leveling devices 100 (and thereby the leveling posts 104) were positioned substantially perpendicular to the front face of the cabinets 134, the tracks 102 of millwork leveling devices 100 in Figures 4A-4C are positioned substantially parallel to the front face of cabinets 134.

In some embodiments, and similar to embodiments represented by Figures 3A-3C, each individual leveling post 104 of Figures 4A-4C may support an edge and/or any other position beneath the cabinets 134, including at or near the joining regions of cabinets 134a and 134b as well as the joining regions of cabinets 134b and 134c.

As depicted in Figures 4A and 4B, the number and spacing of millwork leveling devices may vary. Figure 4A depicts two millwork leveling devices 100 spaced apart by a given distance less than the width of cabinet 134b. In one embodiment, an installer can position the millwork leveling devices at irregular intervals and/or user-specified positions.

In one embodiment the maximum distance between two adjacent millwork leveling devices is 30 inches. In other embodiments, the distance between two adjacent millwork leveling devices may be any of, a combination of, or any distance between the following: less than one inch, one inch, two inches, six inches, 12 inches, 18 inches, 24 inches, 36 inches, 42 inches, 48 inches, 54 inches, 60 inches, 66 inches, 72 inches, 78 inches, 84 inches, 90 inches, 96 inches, 102 inches and/or more than 102 inches.

In some embodiments, a user or installer may rotate the plates 106 associated leveling posts 104 such that the faces of plates 106 are parallel with the front faces of cabinets 134. An installer can then associate a finishing piece (e.g., finishing piece 137 in Figure 3C) with the plates 106 by, for example, any of the methods previously described.

Referring now to Figure 4C, depicted is a side view of cabinets 134 representative of either and/or both of Figures 4A and/or 4B. Similar to embodiments described for Figures 3A-3C, an installer can recess the front-most millwork leveling device 100 from the front of the cabinet 134 to provide a toe kick, for example, if the cabinet 134 is a floor-level kitchen cabinet. In some embodiments, an installer can position the front-most millwork leveling device 100 beneath or substantially beneath the front-most edge of cabinets 134. An installer can also associate a finishing piece 137 with the plates 106 as noted above and shown in Figure 4C.

In some embodiments, cabinets 134 may be a millwork containing multiple cabinets, and in other embodiments, the cabinets 134 may be a single cabinet.

Referring now to Figure 5, depicted is a cabinet 150 associated with two millwork leveling devices 160. As depicted, the millwork leveling devices 160 are associated with a top surface of cabinet 150. In some embodiments, an installer may securely attach the millwork leveling devices 160 to a ceiling and/or another surface for hanging cabinet 150. For instance, an installer may adhere or couple track 162 to the ceiling and/or other surface. In some embodiments, an installer or manufacturer may anchor the leveling posts of the millwork leveling device 100 to the cabinet to secure the cabinet to the ceiling or other surface. In some embodiments, there is a separate anchoring piece. An installer may adjust the height and/or leveling of the cabinet 1 0 by raising and/or lowering one or more leveling posts of the millwork leveling devices 160. For instance, an installer may rotate or otherwise adjust a height adjustment device 164 of one or more of the millwork leveling devices 160.

A manufacturer or installer may associate the plates 166 with the millwork leveling device 160 and/or position the plates 166 parallel to the front face of cabinet 150. An installer may associate a finishing piece with the plates 166 (e.g., by attaching the finishing piece to the plates according to any of the embodiments described above for associating a finishing piece with a plate). The finishing piece may be a piece of molding or any other finishing piece described herein or in accordance with the scope and intent of this disclosure. The height of any and/or all leveling posts depicted in Figures 3A-5 may be individually adjustable. In one embodiment, an installer or user may adjust the height of the leveling posts to level the associated millwork such that the surface (e.g., surface 136 of Figures 3A-4C and surface 168 of Figure 5) of the millwork is level. In one embodiment, the millwork is level when a line that represents the force of Earth' s gravitational pull is perpendicular to the aforementioned surface. In another embodiment, the surfaces 136, 168 are level at an angle decided by the user. In one embodiment, the heights of some but not all of the leveling posts are adjustable.

In one or more embodiment, the millwork leveling device may be associated with a vertical surface of a structure and to a vertical surface of the millwork (e.g., the backside of a cabinet). A user or installer may level the millwork in a similar manner as described above by adjusting the height of associated leveling posts.

The present disclosure also includes methods for leveling millwork. With reference to Figure 6, a method 180 may include positioning a leveling device on a first surface (e.g., a floor, ceiling, wall, top of millwork, etc.) (step 182). The leveling device may include a track, a first post having a first height, a second post having a second height, and a plate having one or more through holes. The plate may be associated with the first post to facilitate attachment of a finishing piece. One or both of the first post and the second post are movably positionable along the track. One or both of the first height and second height may be selectively adjustable.

The method 180 may further include selectively moving at least one of the first and second leveling posts along a length of the track so that the first and second leveling posts are spaced apart by a desired distance (step. For instance, one or both of the first and second leveling posts may be moved along the track so that the first and second leveling posts are spaced apart a distance generally equal to a length of width of a millwork. By way of example, Figure 3C shows leveling posts 104 after being moved along track 102 so that leveling posts 104 are positioned in desired locations under cabinet 130.

The method 180 may further include associating a millwork with the leveling device (step 186). For instance, associating a millwork with a leveling device may include positioning the millwork on the leveling device (Figures 3A-4C) or suspending/hanging the millwork from the leveling device (Figure 5).

The method 180 may further include leveling the millwork with respect to the first surface by adjusting at least the first height of the first post of the leveling device (step 188). In one embodiment, method 180 may further include leveling the millwork by adjusting at least one of the first height and the second height until a horizontal axis of the millwork is perpendicular to a line representing the force of gravity.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a kit for leveling millwork. The kit may include a track, first and second leveling posts, and a plate. In one embodiment, the first and second leveling posts may be height adjustable. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second leveling posts are movably positionable along the track. In one embodiment, the plate may have one or more through holes. Additionally or alternatively, the plate is associated with at least the first leveling post and can have a finishing piece attached thereto.

In one or more embodiments, the kit may include one or more posts where each of the one or more posts includes a plate fixedly attached thereto. A weld may attach the plate to the post. In one embodiment, a manufacturer or installer may releasably attach the plates to one or more posts. A manufacturer or installer may additionally or alternatively connect the plates to the posts in a stationary and/or immovable manner. In another embodiment, a manufacturer or installer may fixedly attach the plates to the post in a manner that allows the relative movement therebetween (e.g., rotation of the plate or the post relative to the other). As another example, a manufacturer or installer may associate the plate with the post in a removable manner.

In one embodiment, a kit includes one or more posts and one or more plates wherein a user may attach the one or more plates to the one or more posts. In one or more embodiment, this may include snappingly attaching a plate to a post, magnetically attaching a plate to a post, or otherwise removably or fixedly attaching a plate, to a post.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Thus, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.